by Kevin Jeannette

Created on: May 26, 2008

There is no argument as to who is most outstanding NBA trio in history. It's not even open for discussion. 72-10. Seriously, don't even try.

The most outstanding trio currently playing in the NBA can be debated however. The Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs are all teams sporting trios fearsome enough to be considered so it shouldn't come as any surprise that each of these teams is currently playing in their respective conference finals.

A great trio is not measured by the individual accolades of three good or great players. If that were the case the Lakers with Shaq, Kobe, Karl Malone and Gary Payton would be among the top.

A great trio is defined by how three good or great players compliment each other on the court and make their team better as a unit. The success and accomplishments of the team are the benchmarks by which a truly great trio is measured.

When all is said and done it comes down to those twenty-pound, golf ball sized, diamond coated rings. Since 2003 the San Antonio Spurs trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili has earned three, more than any other trio currently playing in the NBA which is why they are the leagues most outstanding.

The Spurs and Pistons have been two of the most consistently dominant teams in the NBA for the past five years and that dominance is a direct result of the outstanding play and leadership of their big three.

Since the 2002-2003 season, Duncan, Parker and Ginobili's first together, the Spurs have not lost less than 53 games in a season and possess an impressive 353-139 overall record.

They finished the 2006-2007 campaign with a 58-24 record which earned them the number three seed in the western conference. They quickly dispatched of Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games en route to winning their third NBA title in five years.

The Spurs ended this season with a 56-26 record, earning them the number three seed again in the most competitive western conference playoff race in the history of the league and a chance to play for their place in NBA lore as the dynasty of the new millennium.

The Detroit Pistons big-three' is made up of Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton. Since their first season together, 2004-2005, the Pistons have not lost more than 53 games in a season and their overall record is an equally impressive 230-98.

The Pistons made back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2005, defeating Shaq, Kobe and the Lakers in 2004

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